Inside this issue:

Message from the Director

MPA Newsletter

Message from the Director

1

Orientation for New and Return-ing Students

2

Distinguished Minority Fellows

3

Thank you to Dr. Gordon

3

NASPAA News 4

Faculty Notes 5

Graduation News 6

.

Winter 2017

In recent months much

has been said nationally

and regionally about the role

of public institutions in the United

States. As I have listened to the de-

bates about size and scope of gov-

ernment action I have been remind-

ed about the importance of what we

do here in the MPA program at

WKU.

The majority of our graduates get

jobs in the public sector. Regardless

of whether they work at the federal,

state or local level, our alumni are

involved in the production and de-

livery of public goods and services.

As they do so, it is our hope that

they have learned that responsible

administration is much more and

often different than efficient admin-

istration.

Without question, efficiency is an

important goal for public institu-

tions. Given the opportunity, most

public employees can point to ways

they can improve administrative

processes, save money, “cut the red

tape.”

What is often lost in the discussion

of inefficiencies of public action,

however, is the fact that efficiency is

not and cannot be an end unto it-

self. As Dwight Waldo reminds us,

it is impossible to simply be effi-

cient, one must be efficient at some-

thing.

By and large, the reason we are able

to debate the level of efficiency

within our public institutions is pre-

cisely because these institutions, for

the most part, are already effective

in their efforts to fulfill their goals

and organizational missions.

As public administrators, our pri-

mary charge is to serve the public

interest. Accordingly, a key compo-

nent of the mission for our MPA

program is to prepare students to be

“productive leaders and managers

in public service.” It is our hope

that we are both effective and effi-

cient at accomplishing this mission

so that our alumni will be both ef-

fective and efficient at accomplish-

ing theirs.

Page 2 MPA Newsletter

On Saturday, August 27th the MPA program held its annual orientation for new and

returning students. The meeting was held in the MPA Student Room (345 Grise Hall). In

addition to imparting valuable information, the event provides a wonderful opportunity

for students and faculty to meet and socialize with one another. The annual orientation is

one of the few times throughout the year that students from the Fort Knox, Glasgow, Ow-

ensboro and Bowling Green campuses converge on the same physical location.

During the meeting, Drs. Boden and Gordon spoke to students about program norms and

faculty expectations, as well as our program’s goals and mission. Returning students were

able to offer advice to new students about course work and preparations for the compre-

hensive exam. Charlie Gillock, a new student, stated "Being in a new environment can be

a little overwhelming, not in the MPA program! I felt right at home as I was introduced to

all of my peers at the new member orientation."

Following the information sessions, faculty and students had the chance to continue their

conversations over lunch together.

MPA Student News

Orientation for New and Returning Students

Pictured, from left to right:: Front Row — Dr. Victoria Gordon, Hannah Benward, Andrea Jenkins, Joanna Bailey, Mohammed Alshamsi, Kennedy Prather,

Ashleigh Barker, Dr. Dan Boden; Back Row — Dr. Jeff Budziak, Dr. Scott Lasley, Kamla Jones, Charlie Gillock, Muneer Alkhyeli, Dr. Tim Rich, Audrey Collins,

Nehemiah Mkanta, Nicole Todd

Page 3 MPA Newsletter

The MPA program thanks Dr. Victoria Gordon for her service as

the director of the MPA program at WKU. Dr. Gordon was appointed director of the program following Dr. James Chappell’s retirement from WKU. She served as

the director of the WKU MPA program from July 2013 until August 2016. During

this time period the program experienced many excit-ing events including the addition of new faculty mem-

bers, the celebration of the program’s 40th Anniver-

sary, and reaccreditation by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration

(NASPAA).

Dr. Gordon continues to play an important role in

student advising, classroom instruction, and faculty

governance of the MPA program. Dr. Gordon’s office has relocated to Grise Hall #306. Thank you, Dr.

Gordon for your continued service to the MPA pro-

gram.

On September

30th, two MPA

students, Ashleigh

Barker and Gaines

Brown, were recog-

nized as WKU Dis-tinguished Minority

Fellows. Ashleigh is a

second year MPA student from Nashville, TN and Gaines is a first year MPA student from Bowling

Green, KY. The Distinguished Minority Fellowship program at WKU is a competi-

tive program designed to assist individuals of diverse backgrounds in achieving their educational goals.

The formal event was held at the Downing Student Union and provided an oppor-tunity for Fellows from across campus to meet and socialize with one another as well

as with WKU faculty and staff. Diversity is a fundamental value of the MPA program

and we are pleased to have had the opportunity to honor Ashleigh and Gaines for

Pictured, left to right: Ashleigh Barker, Dr. Victoria Gordon, Gaines Brown

Page 4 MPA Newsletter

NASPAA News

As noted in the Summer 2016

newsletter, the WKU MPA

program has been reaccredited for the next seven years. With reaccredita-tion comes the expectation from

NASPAA that over the next seven years

we will continually assess our program and adjust our activities as needed to en-

sure we provide our students with relevant, high quality learning experiences that

equip them to serve their communities. We can’t do this alone, and therefore appreci-ate the efforts of our MPA Advisory Committee, alumni, faculty, and students who

provide guidance and feedback that help us meet NASPAA’s expectations for accredit-

ed programs. Your suggestions and support are always welcome.

Once again, the WKU MPA program will participate

in NASPAA’s Student Simulation Competition on

February 25, 2017. This year, graduate students from NASPAA schools will analyze a problem related to

food security, based on the United Nations’ Sustaina-

ble Development Goal #2. There are eight host sites worldwide, and our students will compete at the re-

gional site in Indianapolis, Indiana. More information

on the competition is available at:

studentcompetition.naspaa.org/

NASPAA has numerous resources available through their website: www.naspaa.org. In this issue, we’d like to highlight PublicServiceCareers.org. The website, which is

promoted as “your source for professional jobs in the new public sector,” is jointly

sponsored by NASPAA, ASPA, and APPAM. Information on employment and salary trends and internships are a click away using the “Career Resources” tab. Through the

“Find A Job” tab, you can not only view jobs and internships, you can set up personal

job alerts, post your resume, and view international exchange opportunities. Registra-tion is not required, and the services are free to job seekers, so check out what

PublicServiceCareers.org has to offer.

During Labor Day weekend, Shannon Vaughan joined political

scientists from around the world to present her research at the annual

meeting of the American Political Science Association in Philadelphia, Pennsylva-nia. Dr. Vaughan and her co-author, Dr. Shelly Arsneault were invited to present

their research as part of one of the conference theme panels – Advancing Philan-

thropic Scholarship: The Implications of Transformation.

Dr. Arsneault is currently a Professor at California State University, Fullerton, but

many of you may remember her from her time as Director of the WKU MPA pro-

gram. Their paper, The Public Benefit of Benefit Corporations explores the impact of the

increased blurring of the lines between the public, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors

on the provision of public goods and services. The paper is currently under review

for a special symposium issue of the journal PS: Political Science and Politics.

Page 5 MPA Newsletter

Faculty Notes

Dr. Victoria Gordon and Dr. Daniel Boden

collaborated with WKU MPA program alum, Dr.

Jeffrey Osgood (who is currently a member of the faculty

at Westchester University in Pennsylvania), on a new

book entitled Participatory Budgeting in the United States: A

Guide for Local Governments. Published by Routledge in

October 2016, the project investigates how five localities

around the United States have used Participatory Budget-

ing as a means to increase citizens’ engagement in gov-

ernance issues. Participatory budgeting has been a suc-

cessful tool for local governments throughout the world

and in recent years has become more prevalent in the

United States.

The book is the second collaborative project for Drs. Gordon, Osgood, and Boden.

Their journal article, also related to participatory budgeting, was published in 2015.

APSA in the City of Brotherly Love

1906 College Heights Blvd

Bowling Green, KY 42101

Phone: 270-745-6357

Fax: 270-745-2945

E-mail:

daniel.boden@wku.edu

MASTER OF

PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM

Page 6

International student, Muneer

Alkhyeli had the distinction of carry-

ing his nation’s flag during the Fall 2016

Commencement ceremony held at E.A. Diddle Arena. The United Arab Emir-

ates’ student was proud of the oppor-

tunity to represent his country during the graduation ceremony.

In an email to the Political Science Fac-ulty, Muneer expressed his thanks to

both faculty and fellow students for their

support throughout his time in the pro-gram. As he reflected on his time in the MPA program Muneer

said, “WKU will always be home” and he “look[ed] forward

to making the institution proud wherever [he went].” The MPA program is proud of Muneer and proud of the program’s

international reach.

The MPA Program would like

to hear from you. Please email

Dr. Boden and tell him your

news– both personal and

professional.

Photos courtesy of

Gary Gordon and

Daniel Boden.

Summer and Fall 2016 Graduates

SUMMER 2016

Ibrahim A. Alhussayen

Fall 2016

Muneer K. Alkhyeli Joanna B. Bailey

Jacob T. Brennenstuhl Kamla A. Jones

Jasmine L. Morris Kennedy P. Prather